Diamond roller

ABSTRACT

An improved roller for supporting an overhead sliding door to a track, the roller comprising a diamond configurated roller element movable along a transversely configurated diamond track, the roller being mounted on a roller bearing at one end of a shaft fitted into a bracket plate and urged into longitudinal or axial adjustment by means of a back up compression spring.

United States Patent John E. Finnegan Altoona, Pa.

Inventor (1218 3rd Ave., Duncansville, Pa. 16635) Appl. No. 799,755Filed Feb. 17, 1969 Patented Jan. 5, 1971 DIAMOND ROLLER 2 Claims, 4Drawing Figs.

[1.8. CI. 160/201, 16/98,16/137 Int. Cl. E05d 15/38 Field of Search160/209, 201,49/197;16/137,107,104,98,106,97,105, 102, 99, 96

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,571,334 2/1926 Howard...16/98 2,006,228 6/1935 Collins 16/104UX 2,257,513 9/1941 Pilcher160/201X 2,525,309 10/1950 Norberg 16/137X 3,102,583 9/1963 Rowe et a1.160/209 Primary Examiner -Dennis L. Taylor ABSTRACT: An improved rollerfor supporting an overhead sliding door to a track, the rollercomprising a diamond configurated roller element movable along-atransversely configurated diamond track, the roller being mounted on aroller hearing at one end of a shaft fitted into a bracket plate andurged into longitudinal or axial adjustment by means of a back upcompression spring.

PATENTEDTJAH 519?: l

SHEEI 2 [1F 2 DIAMOND ROLLER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In summary, thepresent invention comprises a means for supporting a slideable door fora semitrailer in such a manner so that movement of the door will notbind or possibly fall from a supporting track while the loaded truck isswinging and swaying, this being accomplished by a pair ofcross-sectionally diamond-shaped tracks secured to the vehicle body, aplurality of rollers travelling within the diamond shaped tracks, therollers being mounted upon shafts supported rotatably free withinbracket plates mounted upon the semitrailer door, and the roller shaftbeing axially slideable so as to compensate for the swing and sway.

This invention relates generallyto overhead sliding doors. Morespecifically it relates to roller means for overhead sliding doors.

A principal object of'the present invention is to provide a diamondcontigurated roller which will allow an overhead sliding door to roll upand down with less effort than is possible with a conventional rollerstructure such as is presently used.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a diamondconfigurated roller which is designed particularly for semitrailer doorsand which will compensate for the swing and sway of a loaded truckwithout falling apart such as occurs with conventional-type equipment.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a diamondroller wherein a floating spring loaded wheel cannot stick or bind Yet afurther object of the present invention is to provide a diamond rollerwhich cannot jump out of its track and leave the door fall upon thefloor.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a diamond rollerwhich is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged inconstruction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of'thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the present invention andshowing the diamond roller in cross section;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation view of a semitrailer showing thepresent invention supporting'a sliding door within a doorway; and v FIG.4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line44ofFIG.3.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral representsa diamond roller assembly according to the present invention whereinthere is a diamond configurated roller member 11 which is mountedrotatably free upon a roller bearing 12, the roller bearing 12 beingmounted frictionally free at one end ofa shaftl3.

The shaft 13 is fitted into a slot 14 formed upon a bracket plate 15having a plurality of openings 16 therethrough for receiving mountingbolts, not shown. The vmounting bolts are secured to a sliding overheaddoor of a semitrailer or other equivalent equipment.

A compression coil spring 17 is fitted into the slot 14 ad jacent theend of the shaft- 13, a compression coil spring l7 being backed by aspring retaining screw cap 18 that is threadingly engaged in the end ofthe slot 14. The springretaining screwcap has a transverse opening 19therethrough which is aligned with an opening 20 through opposite sidesof the cylindrical wall 21 enclosing the slot 14 so as to receive acotter pin 22 therethrough which thus positively secures the screwcapfrom falling out.

A track 23 is mounted along each side of the door opening of thesemitrailer, the track 23 being of diamond cross-sectionalconfiguration, as is evident in the drawing. The track 23 has alongitudinally extending slot 24 along the length thereof through whichthe shaft 13 extends. The diamond configurated groove 25 extending alongthe length of the track 23 so as to receivetherein the diamond shapedroller l l.

In operative use, the structure as shown In FIG. I Is mounted uponopposite sides 26 of the sliding overhead door 27 while the track 23 ismounted along the doorway 28 of the semitrailer. Thus the door 27 may bemade to slide up and down while the diamond shaped roller travels withinthe track 23. It will be evident that any lateral deviation in themounting of the structure will be accommodated by the axial movement ofthe shaft 13 against the spring 17. The particular configurated rollerrespective to the track configuration will prevent the roller fromfalling outward therefrom.

I claim:

1. In a sliding overhead door for a semitrailer or the like, thecombination of a door slideable upwardly and downwardly within a doorwayof said semitrailer, said door having opposite side edges, each of saidedges havinga plurality of bracket plates mounted rigidly thereto, saiddoorway having side edges along which a track is mounted, said trackextending upwardly adjacent the underside ofa ceiling, and roller meansmounted in said track and said bracket plate, said roller meanscomprising a diamond configurated roller mounted upon a roller hearing,said roller bearing being carried relatively friction free on one end ofa shaft, said shaft being supported by said bracket plate, said bracketplate comprising a generally flat plate having a plurality of openingstherethrough for receiving mounting bolts, said bracket plate includinga cylindrically configurated wall enclosing a cylindrical slot open atopposite ends. one said end receiving said shaft, a compression coilspring within said slot positioned adjacent said end of said shaft, theopposite end of said compression coil spring bearing against a springretaining screwcap fitted in an opposite end of said slot, said capbeing threadingly engaged to said cylinder and secured thereto by cotterpin means.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said track comprises amember of cross-sectional diamond configuration to conform to thediamond configuratedrollers, said track having a slot along one sidethereof through which said shaft extends as said roller moves along agroove within said track

1. In a sliding overhead door for a semitrailer or the like, thecombination of a door slideable upwardly and downwardly within a doorwayof said semitrailer, said door having opposite side edges, each of saidedges having a plurality of bracket plates mounted rigidly thereto, saiddoorway having side edges along which a track is mounted, said trackextending upwardly adjacent the underside of a ceiling, and roller meansmounted in said track and said bracket plate, said roller meanscomprising a diamond configurated roller mounted upon a roller bearing,said roller bearing being carried relatively friction free on one end ofa shaft, said shaft being supported by said bracket plate, said bracketplate comprising a generally flat plate having a plurality of openingstherethrough for receiving mounting bolts, said bracket plate includinga cylindrically configurated wall enclosing a cylindrical slot open atopposite ends, one said end receiving said shaft, a compression coilspring within said slot positioned adjacent said end of said shaft, theopposite end of said compression coil spring bearing against a springretaining screwcap fitted in an opposite end of said slot, said capbeing threadingly engaged to said cylinder and secured thereto by cotterpin means.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said trackcomprises a member of cross-sectional diamond configuration to conformto the diamond configurated rollers, said track having a slot along oneside thereof through which said shaft extends as said roller moves alonga groove within said track.